Spoiler Warning: This article may contain spoilers. If this bothers you, proceed with caution.

Rey/Kylo Ren is a het relationship from the sequel Star Wars trilogy, of Rey and Kylo Ren. It is extremely popular in the fandom[1] and the object of interesting external analysis[2].

After TFA's release it was mostly an example of shipping canon adversaries, sometimes known as hatesex or enemyslash. After the release of TLJ, in which they both had positive interactions with each other (widely seen as mutually romantic by its shippers), the fanon portrayal of this ship became softer.

History

Reylo became popular as soon as The Force Awakens, the first sequel film, was released, only exceeded by the Stormpilot. Initially there were conflicts between fans because some were afraid that the two characters would turn out to be related in some way (see also Luke/Leia) since both were force-sensitive. However, the possibility of incest was denied in the second film.

Rey and Kylo had a significant amount of canon interaction in the second film, unlike the first installment. It is discovered that they have a Force Bond. During the throne room scene, Supreme Leader Snoke claimed to have created the bond in order to manipulate them. Their bond remains at the end of the movie even though Snoke is no longer alive.

Important canon moments for this ship include: the five scenes of the force bond, their fight against the Praetorian Guard, the offering of the hand of Kylo Ren to Rey and the union of their hands in the cabin before being interrupted by Luke Skywalker. At the end of the film, we can see that they still share a connection that leaves us with an unknown ending about the direction of their relationship in the next film that will be released in 2019.

On Tumblr, Reylo was on the 10th place on the list of the most reblogged/discussed ships in 2016[3], on the 19th place in 2017[4], and on the 2nd place in 2018[5].

Fandom Responses

Fannish Resistance to the Pairing

As of late December 2015, tumblr wank about Reylo was already in progress with some fans asking for triggerwarnings for the pairing.[6] Others object to the pairing on the basis that the characters may, at some point, be revealed to be related (according to the theory that the orphan Rey is a Skywalker) and it would be incest.[7]

As of December 2017, the most-kudosedStar Wars fanwork on the AO3[8] is a 12-word anti-Reylo fic titled "a reylo fic" that exists solely to trash the ship. The work was created only a few days after The Force Awakens was released and includes tags indicating its author objected to the potential incest.[9]

Cross-cultural observations

A post on thesovereignempress.tumblr.com called for non-American Reylo shippers to share thoughts of their country's opinion on the ship. Most responders expressed that they had not encountered much hate for the ship.

[Germany] I never really communicate my deep fangirl tendencies with people out of my immediate circle of friends and they are not particular towards Reylo - like most of the time when I tell them I’d like to see them together I get a nod and a shrug, nobody really cares too much about shipping in my neck of the woods. [...] I have not felt strong resistance against Reylo when I’ve brought it up anywhere. My brother gravely dislikes Kylo but he says he’s maybe like him if he got a redemption arc and got with Rey..and he is fairly convinced that that’s precisely what’ll happen :)[10]

[Germany] I do not think many people, even SW fans, really care. They just go with what the movie gives them and then wait patiently because they know they cannot affect the outcome anyway.[11]

Here in Mexico shipping is NOT really common, even inside of fandom is unusual to discuss ships as passionately as I’ve seen here, but the general attitude is that people don’t care about what you do or don’t ship (wich is great) most of my friends and family know that I ship (more like I’m obsessed with) Reylo and I haven’t got any backlash about it. As a matter of fact even my mom ships it, I have friends IRL who prefer FinnRey, Damerey and Kylux but our relationship remains the same, so yeah Tumblr’s discourse was really wierd to me.[12]

France here, and people are sooo stubborn with the Rey Skywalker theory, and most of them don’t even know what a ship is soooo… either they are completely against it, [or] they don’t know about it lmao. But there is still a tiny bit of Reylo shippers that I talk with tho[13]

I’m Korean(of course South) and Star Wars fandom is not really big in here… The most popular shipping is the anakin/obiwan. Reylo is not such a big deal.[14]

[Japan] First of all SW is surely one of the most popular films here but the fandom is probably much smaller in Japan than western countries or even other Asian countries. It might be due to the fact that Japanese people are not really familiar with foreign films in general.But Reylo is exceptionally popular as a hetero pairing [...] Yes, we have Reylo haters, however, they are never so offensive or active as in western countries. Basically we Japanese seem to be free from the moral accusation against fictional characters or pairings. Haters hate Kylo but it's because he killed beloved Han Solo or he looks too miserable as a successor to Darth Vader, not because of his so-called problematic relationship to Rey. Both age difference and heroine-villain pairing per se are not considered as problematic at all here. They are actually popular traits in fictional hetero pairing.[15]

Here in Italy Reylo is not the most popular ship, fandom prefers Kylux, but with some friends we’ve created a Tumblr blog only in Italian, to translate meta and organize writing/drawing challenges. I didn’t find so much hate about Reylo, anyway: people are ok with enemy/heroine dynamics or age gaps and shipping is seen as a “private” thing, so you can do whatever you want with fictional characters, basically. I also discussed peacefully with Kylux shippers and we respect each other without problems, regardless of what we ship. Some people hate Kylo Ren for what he did to Han, some didn’t like him ‘cause “he’s such an idiot Vader was better” (maaany people didn’t like Episode VII), but I don’t know people who think Kylo/Rey relationship is unhealthy or something.[16]

Here in the Philippines, I have yet to meet anyone hostile to Reylo. I think it’s because shipping couples comes naturally to my people (weird as it may seem to people in other countries, but in my country, shipping REAL PEOPLE *actors* is considered the norm and not at all offensive // we call them LOVE TEAMS) and while we do have our squicks, we tend to ship and let ship.
Going back to Reylo, like I said I have yet to meet anyone here that is hostile towards the pairing. Maybe hostile towards Kylo Ren, and maybe a few who are surprised that Reylo exists, but nothing like what ant*s do. Ant* shipping is generally frowned upon here. The worst that could happen is Love Team A vs Love Team B where trash talking occasionally happens, which is also a behavior that’s frowned upon. Also shippers here from my observation are more open minded. I’ve explained Reylo to a few people who were originally non-shippers and they either understand why or become shippers themselves.[17]

[unspecified Middle East]I have asked most of the SW fans I know about Rey and Kylo, and none had an issue with the villain/heroine trope or were disgusted by the idea. Only one guy hated the idea, not for ‘abuse’ (which I do not believe Reylo stands for), but introducing romance will diminish Kylo Ren’s image as a villain.[18]

Common tropes & Storylines

Force bond fics began to appear soon after the release of The Force Awakens. A force bond between these two characters was canonized in The Last Jedi.

Post TFA, some works theorized that it was Kylo Ren who left Rey on Jakku. Sometimes she was a former student of Luke Skywalker's school, or Kylo Ren did this to protect Rey from Snoke. This trope may involve Kylo altering Rey's memories with the force, to ensure she doesn't remember her childhood school.

Jedi Academy AU where Rey and Kylo grew up at Luke's Jedi school.

You need a teacher - Some works depict Kylo Ren training Rey in the use of the force.

Fanworks

Meta

Fanfiction

Landscape with a blue of Conquerors by diasterisms, "While I share your contempt for this situation in which we find ourselves, do not mistake it as apathy," he hissed through gritted teeth, dark eyes burning. "I hardly expect your disposition to sweeten, but I will be damned if I allow my future Empress to behave in a manner that reflects poorly on me and on the First Order!" (Arranged Marriage, WIP). July 2017-?

Ileenium Manor by WaterlilyRose, Rey decided she hated Lord Benjamin Solo before she even met him. So when he comes to take his rightful place as heir to Ileenium Manor where she works as a maid, it will test Rey in ways she couldn't have imagined. (Historical AU). July 2016-March 2017

A Collision of Stars by dustoftheancients, Rey gets in over her head in an attempt to save her friend. Kylo Ren can do little else but get swept up along with her, because his trajectory has become tied with hers. January 2016-March 2017

Within Monsters by AnnonymousMink, When work dries up on Jakku, a desperate Rey enlists with Galactech-- a tech company who will hire anyone with the right skills, and work for anyone for the right price. Now trapped onboard the Finalizer, Rey is both horrified and fascinated by the dark tales she hears about the leader of the Knights of Ren and the mysterious Force he controls. (Alternate First Meeting). February-October 2016